SCRIPTURE: Ephesians 5:19 …. speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.Related Scripture: 1 Chronicles 16:23; James 5:13

REFLECTION: One of my favorite hymns is To God Be the Glory. I sing it to taped music when I am home alone.

Three neighbor girls, sisters Missy, Dora and Becky, frequently visited, often showing up so quietly I wouldn’t realize they were there. Their shyness prevented them from talking much as they hung around me while I went about my tasks.

One day when they appeared I was singing loudly while doing dishes. They not only enjoyed my impoverished musical effort but liked the song. I suggested they learn it.

They had a great time practicing this difficult hymn, a feat even more difficult considering their age and lack of church background. Soon they were crooning it out like teen-agers bellow out their favorite popular hits.

I suggested they sing it during the children’s time at a church service, as a gift to the pastor. Very reluctantly they agreed, but I had to let them hold the sheet music over their faces as they sang.

I recruited the organist to assist the girls. She had never heard the taped music, and made an error during the presentation. This error relieved the girl’s tension

When the girls presented their gift of music to the pastor they not only spoke to him in hymns and spiritual songs, they sang and made melody in their hearts to the Lord.

Those with the gift of music should do the same. Other musically challenged people like myself can still make melody in (their hearts) to the Lord (actually, they can sing out in praise to the Lord. He doesn’t care if you can carry a tune or not).

Isn’t that part of what Easter is about? Singing to God, singing out his glory, singing joyfully of His gift(s) to us?

So whether you are musically gifted or challenged, shy or outgoing, still hurting or healed, I hope you enjoy this hymn as much as I do.

PRAYER: God, please accept my gift to you, my music, my melody-challenged non-talent. I humbly offer it to you knowing that you accept it in the same light as if it perfect. Thank you for that. Amen.

A E7 A
To God be the glory, great things He hath done!
D A B7 E7
So loved He the world that He gave His Son,
A E7 A
Who yielded His life an atonement for sin
D A E7 A
And opened the lifegate that all may go in.
Chorus:
A
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,
E7
Let the earth hear His voice!
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,
A
Let the people rejoice!
E7 A
O come to the Father through Jesus the Son,
D A
And give Him the glory,
E7 A